SURRY COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Thousands of acres of farmland and hillside were washed away in Hurricane Helene, but a group of agriculture drone operators in North Carolina is helping that area grow again.
Preston Cave uses his 50-pound drone for almost everything when it comes to agriculture.
“I’ve been able to use it to spray herbicide on mountain pastures, to spraying rice in South Port on the Cape Fear River, it’s very easy to mobilize,” said Cave.
Cave runs PAC Aerial Applications and uses his flight tool for farming but did something different when Helene hit.
“We delivered three and a half tons of supplies to countless homes, 50 or 60 different homes in a matter of a couple weeks,” said Cave.
Those drones became a lifeline, dropping off supplies to people cut off by the storm, used in a way they had never been before.
“It was a blessing, it was so unreal what we were going through at the time,” said Cave.
It was hard to wrap his head around the countless acres of land devastated by water.
“Some of the ground will never be the same, you’re talking creeks you used to be able to step around to talking acres have been washed out on both sides of the creek,” said Cave.
Cave knew he had to do more. So, instead of delivering hope, he started spreading it.
A few months later, he and other drone operators were pulled together through a grant from the USDA to head back west.
The team sprayed clover and fescue to washed-out hillsides and fields to try to get the area growing again come spring.
Cave navigated tight corners and narrow valleys to do it.
He worked over a few days, mainly in Yancey County near the Cane River and covered around 200 acres.
“It’s kind of emotional because that community on the Cane River, they lost three of their neighbors during the storm,” said Cave.
The team moved quickly to get everything done, but Cave knows the impact the small amount of work will have.
“These guys up in the mountains, they’re going to take care of themselves in any way that they can, they’re very grateful for any help that gets sent their way,” said Cave. “It’s just a blessing to be a part of it.”
